The vessels, which the scientists have called “trans-cortical vessels” (TCVs), were found to have originate in the bone marrow and traverse cortical bone perpendicularly along the shaft and connect to the periosteal circulation.
The finding, which was recently published in the journal Nature Metabolism, could help to improve understanding of bone diseases such as osteoporosis and immune system disorders.
Scientists were already aware that a few blood vessels exist at the ends of bones or half way along them, but little is known about how blood enters and leaves long bones.
